Means for removing snow from roadways



May 31, 1933- .1. 8,.M0CALLUM MEANS FOR REMOVING SNOW FROM ROADWAYS Filed Feb. 26, 19s? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Gttorneg y 1938- J. s. MOCALLUM 2,118,851

MEANS FOR REMOVING SNOW FROM ROADWAYS I Filed Feb. 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n I 1 l lnnentor Qttorneg Patented May 31, 1938 UNHTEB STATES PATENT MEANS FOR REMOVING SNOW FROM ROAD- WAYS 3 Claims.

This invention relates to roadway maintenance devices and has for an object to provide a method and means for removing snow from roadways without the formation of snow ridges alongside of or upon the roadways.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and means for causing removed snow to be impelled into fields adjacent roadways or to comparatively remote situations with respect to roads.

A further object of the invention is to provide a snow remover having a scoop which may be readily swung into or away from an operative position; may be selectively positioned with respect to the surface of a roadway for removing snow slices of selected thickness in accordance with the total depth of snow banks encountered; to provide means for fractionating snow masses picked up by the scoop for facilitating impelling or blowing snow away from the remover; to provide an adjustable deflector for causing the snow to be impelled in selective directions with respect to the roadway; to provide a releasable detent for protecting said scoop whereby should the latter encounter a solid obstruction concealed in the snow upon a roadway, said scoop will become released for horizontal swinging movements with respect to said object, without damage to said scoop.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a snow scoop which can be readily raised and lowered to cut from a drift a selected depth of snow and an important object is to provide scoop means which may be extended from a vehicle on a road over a ditch alongside of said road for cutting down and removing snow ridges which have formed an appreciable distance from the side edge of said road.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be understood from the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a transverse section taken on line I-l of Figure 4 and showing a front elevation of a snow scoop employed, said scoop shown in a position for use with respect to a roadway surface.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the scoop pivotally positioned at one side of a rear portion of a self-propelled vehicle employed.

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the scoop taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of a snow remover embodying the presentinvention.

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on line 55 of Figure l and showing in side elevation a revoluble platform and certain mechanism carried thereon.

As heretofore practiced in the art snow has been primarily removed from roadways by the employment of snow plows having a vertical cutting or scraping blade disposed at an angle of substantially degrees with respect to the line of travel of the plow machine, said blade upon contacting snow masses causing the same to be shoved to one side of the roadway whereby as indicated by the dotted line A in Figure 1 said removed snow forms a ridge in parallelism with the roadway. A subsequent snow fall forms a second ridge indicated at B during removal of said second snow fall from the middle of a roadway whereby it repeatedly happens that either the first or second snow fall causes embankments which obstruct the roadway. The removal operation being repeated upon both sides of a road causes said embankments to extend toward each other and to the medial portion of the road, and at times when the snow fall is heavy, said methods and means of snow removal often render the roadway impassableto traflic especially at times when the first snow fall is soggy or freezes into high ridge formations. Therefore the investment of public tax money in roadways and pavements is of no avail during intermittent periods of winter, and the present invention contemplates a method of and means for removing snow expeditiously and at a minimum of cost, said cost being no greater than the practice heretofore and in a manner whereby undesirable practices of the prior art are obviated.

Referring now to the drawings for a more particular description, it indicates the chassis frame of a self-propelled vehicle such as a truck having an engine I I, front wheels 12, rear wheels !3, an operators cab I 3, a steering gear l5 and the like. The frame it is supported from the axles of the vehicle by means of springs in a well known manner, said frame preferably being comparatively long. A support it for a turntable or platform is secured to the frame iii adjacent the rear end of the chassis, said support preferably being of ring shape in plan and formed of channel iron having a greater diameter than the width of the frame l0.

A platform 11 is pivotally secured by means. of a pivot bolt or pin it to the support Hi, said platform being adapted to have horizontal turning movements together with certain later described mechanism carried by or attached to the platform. Means are preferably provided for locking the platform with respect to the support to prevent such turning movements, said means not being shown and which may consist of a bolt or suitable keeper for connecting the platform to the support adjacent the perimeter of the latter and if desired the heretofore mentioned pivot pin [8 may be suitably secured to the transverse braces of the frame H1 in lieu of securing it to the support l6.

An internal combustion engine I9 is secured to the platform and is preferably provided with a suitable cover 20' as shown in Figure 4. The crank shaft 2| of the engine is provided with a sprocket wheel 22 for providing a driven connection for a sprocket wheel 23 through a belt or sprocket chain 24.

The sprocket wheel 23 is secured to a line-shaft 25, the latter being secured to the platform by any suitable means such as the pillow blocks 25 whereby at any desired time the engine If! provides motive power for revolving the line-shaft 25.

Supporting arms 2! for a later mentioned snow scoop are pivotally attached to the platform by any suitable means such as the sleeve 28 which extends between and is secured to ends of the arms 21, said line-shaft 25 extending through said sleeve whereby the arms and the later mentioned scoop are adapted to have vertical swinging movements with respect to the platform, said arms and scoop being preferably provided with a brace bar 29 secured to said arms by means of suitable rivets and extending to a corner of the platform, said extended portion being secured, as best shown in Figure 2, by means of a pivot, rivet or bolt 35 to a standard 3| which extends vertically from the platform ll. One of said arms 21 extends into said scoop and the other arm outwardly thereof for supporting the rear vertical wall 32 of the scoop, said scoop and arms being adapted to be swung together with the plat- .form I i into alignment or parallelism with the frame It for transportation to and from work, said transportation position of the scoop being i1- lustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 4. Also the scoop and the arms 21 are adapted to be swung to any selected work position, or transversely with respect to the frame I ii for positioning the scoop at substantially a right angle with respect to the line of travel of the vehicle and overhanging the sides. thereof, as shown in Figures l and Q.

A releasable connection is provided between the arms 21 or scoop and the frame Ifi for holding the scoop and arms at a right angle with respect to the frame, said connection including a cable or chain 33 having one of its ends attached to one of the arms 2'! and its other free end provided with a ring or loop 34 normally positioned about a hook 35.

The hook 35 is pivotally attached as at 36 to a plate 31 carried by the frame l0 and is provided with an end 38 to which a spring 353 is secured. one end of said spring being held stationary by means of a projecting portion 4%] of the plate 31 and if desired the attachment of the spring 39 to the projection 49 may include a threaded bolt whereby the tension of the spring 39 is selectively adjustable. During use should the scoop en'- counter an obstruction such as a telegraph pole, stump or more particularly a stone or the like frozen to the roadway and concealed in the snow, whereby the cable or chain 33 becomes unduly stressed, said force upon stretching the spring 39 sufiiciently will permit the chain 33 to become released from and slide off of the end of the hook 35 weherby damage to the scoop is prevented.

Derrick arms 4! are secured to the platform and provided with vertically disposed braces 42. The derrick arms support a pulley wheel 43 at their outer ends, and adjacent their lower ends and therebetween a revoluble drum or spool M. A cable 45 having an end suitably secured to the scoop or a later mentioned rim flange thereof extends over the pulley and is adapted to be wound upon the drum 44, thelatter being keyed to its axle-shaft 16, said shaft extending through suitable bearings 47 carried by the derrick arms M.

A power take-off mechanism is adapted to have, at times, a driven connection with the line-shaft 25 for driving the drum and winding the cable 45 therearound for raising the scoop in a vertical direction to a selected position. Said power takeoff mechanism may include a suitable arrangement of clutch and is preferably provided with oppositely disposed friction disc plates 38 secured to the line-shaft 25.

A roller 49 so disposed between the plates 48 that it is adapted to be placed in frictional engagement with either of said plates as the operator may elect is supported by and keyed to a jack-shaft 50, the latter being horizontally maintained by means of a vertically disposed shifting lever 5|.

The lever 5| includes a collar 52 through which the shaft 58 extends, the lower end of the lever 5| being pivotally secured as at 53 to a support 54, as best shown in Figure 5, said support being bolted or affixed to the platform ll.

The shaft 55 is provided adjacent its end which is opposite to the roller 49 with a worm thread 55 which, as best shown in Figures 1 and 4, is constantly in mesh with a worm wheel 56, the latter being secured to the axle shaft 46 of the winding spool d4. Said end of the shaft 50 adjacent the worm thread 55 extends through a housing 5'! for the worm wheel and is provided with a nut or keeper 58 whereby the shaft 50 is adapted to swing in a horizontal direction from its pivotal point adjacent the nut 53. The housing 51 is secured to the platform and also provides a bearing and support for the axle-shaft 46.

The operator may cause the roller 49 to remain in a neutral position between and out of contact with the plates 58 or may shift said roller into engagement with a selected plate for causing a corresponding rotary movement to be applied to the spool M for raising the scoop or permitting it to lower by gravity, said latter action being normally prevented by means of the engagement of the worm thread 55 with the teeth of the worm wheel. 56.

The scoop further includes in addition to the heretofore mentioned vertical wall a perimetrically disposed rim flange 5% extending from said wall 32. The wall 32 is preferably substan tially circular in plan as shown in Figure l and said flange as to the major portion thereof is of similar shape except that it is provided with an elongated straight cutting edge portion which is adapted to be disposed in parallelism with and close to the surface of a roadway as shown in Figure 1, said rim flange being flared from its circular shape toward its cutting edge portion, the latter being inclined from said cutting edge towards said wall.

As best shown in Figure 3, a divisional wall 6! is disposed, as there shown, approximate parallelism with the'vertical wall 32 and spaced therefrom for providing a chamber therebetween having an open bottom disposed above said cutting edgeportion 6B of the rim flange 59, the divisional wall extending, preferably, slightly below the axis of the vertically disposed substantially circular wall 32.

A spout or suitable outlet conduit 52 is provided for said chamber, said spout preferably being in a substantially vertical position at times when the scoop is in a work or snow removing posi tion.

A propeller-shaft 63 is axially disposed with respect to the vertical wall 32 and extends therethrough from the arm 21 having the supporting bearing and pillow-block 64 shown in Figure 4. The shaft 63 is provided with a sprocket wheel 65 having a driven connection through a chain 66 with a sprocket wheel Bl secured to and rotated by the line-shaft 25. v

The propeller-shaft or impellenshaft 63 is provided with a second bearing block 68 supported by the divisional wall 6! and the arm 21 which is secured thereto as best shown in Figure 3. A revoluble cutting blade 69 is secured to the shaft 63. Preferably the blade 69 is positioned within theplane of the scoop rim-flange for revoluble movements therein and between the divisional wall and the cutting edge 60 of said flange. The cutting blade '69 is adapted to fractionate snow masses picked up by the scoop. The blade 69 is preferably provided with two oppositely disposed paddle portions, said paddles having a pitch adjacent their free ends of inclined shape whereby snow picked up by the scoop is moved toward the vertical wall 32.

A plurality of blower fan paddles F0 are annularly disposed with respect to the shaft 633 and secured thereto by means of their respective arms H. The cutting blade G9 together with the paddles 10 are rotated in the direction of the arrow 12, as shown in Figure 1, whereby the paddles "iii serve to elevate snow picked up by the scoop during the revoluble movements of the paddles, said snow being elevated through the chamber provided between the walls El and 32 and impelled, forced or blown, in accordance with the condition of the snow, through the spout 62 of said chamber.

The spout is provided with a deflector 73 which is adjustably associated therewith and may be pivotally secured thereto by means of a pivot pin 16. Also if desired said deflector may be horizontally rotatable on said spout in addition to being tiltable in a vertical direction, whereby snow impelled through the spout becomes guided or directed from the chamber in a preselected direction.

In operation the machine travels by means of its own power supplied by its engine over the surface 75 of a roadway at which time the various parts are in the relative position shown in Figure 1, said travel being in parallelism with the side edges of the roadway and in a forward direction as indicated by the arrow it in Figure 2 whereby as the machine moves forwardly snow is scraped or cut from said surface or from closely thereabove.

In instances where the snow fall is heavy or drifted the operator may raise the scoop from the full line position thereof shown in Figure 1 to the dotted line position there shown for removing snow slices from the roadway which are of less thickness than the total depth of the snow fall and for conventional depths of snow the device is operated with the cutting edge 6!! disposed in parallelism with the surface 75 of the road.

As the snow moves into the scoop during said forward travel the cutting blade 69 severs the mass thereof and is of particular advantage at times when the snow is heavy and soggy with moisture such as when the snow crystals cling to each other tenaciously during comparatively warm weather. The deflector 13 may be adjusted to guide the snow away from the road and particularly remotely with respect to the ditches ll thereof and into fields adjoining the road. If desired, the spout $2 may be adjustable as to height for proportionately elevating the snow whereby the delivery thereof at a remote distance is assured at times when the road is close to an earth embankment. Preferably the power is supplied for elevating the snow through the spout 62 and the deflector 13 by the internal combustion engine H? which is made inoperative at times when the mechanism is traveling to and from work, the scoop at such time being disposed rear: wardly of the vehicle.

By the foregoing means and in the foregoing manner snow is prevented from forming ridges and also the ditches along the roads remain unfilled, the same being of advantage for draining rain and snow from the road into said ditches during thawing temperatures.

It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of my claims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details within the scope of my claims without departing from the spirit of my invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

I claim:---

1. A snow remover for roadways comprising a self-propelled vehicle, a platform pivotally mounted for horizontal turning movements on the frame thereof, an internal combustion engine secured to said platform, a line-shaft on the platform having a driven connection with said engine, a snow scoop pivotally attached for vertical swinging movements to said platform, said scoop adapted to be swung together with said platform into alignment with said frame for transportation and to be selectively positioned transversely with respect to said frame for work, a releasable connection between the scoop and frame for holding the scoop in work position, a derrick carried by the platform provided with a revoluble drum and pulley, a cable secured to the scoop extending over the pulley and adapted to be wound on said drum, a power take-off mechanism adapted to have a driven connection with said line-shaft for driving said drum for raising the scoop to a selected work position with respect to the surface of said roadway, said mechanism adapted to maintain the scoop in said position and operable to permit said scoop to lower toward said surface, said scoop comprising a vertically disposed wall provided with a perimetrically disposed rim flange extending therefrom, said flange having an elongated straight cutting edge adapted to be disposed in parallelism with and close to thesurface of said roadway, a divisional wall disposed in approximate parallelism with said vertical wall and spaced therefrom providing a chamber having an open bottom disposed above said cutting-edge of the flange, a spout outlet for said chamber, a propeller shaft axially disposed with respect to said vertical wall having a driven connection with said line-shaft, a revoluble cutting blade secured to the propeller shaft between said divisional wall and said cuttingedge adapted to fractionate snow masses picked up by said scoop, said blade having a. pitch adapted to move snow toward said vertical wall during revoluble movements of said blade, a plurality of blower fan paddles secured to the propeller-shaft between said walls for elevating snow picked up by the scoop through said chamber and spout, and a deflector adjustably associated with said spout for guiding snow received from the chamber in a preselected direction.

2. In a snow remover for roadways, a self-propelled vehicle, a platform pivotally mounted for horizontal turning movement on the frame of said vehicle, a snow scoop pivotally attached for vertical swinging movements to said platform, means for controlling said movements, said scoop provided with a cutting edge adapted to slice strips of snow formations from a roadway during traveling movements of the vehicle over said road, means for swinging said scoop in vertical directions for disposing said cutting edge close to the surface of said road, a revoluble cutter blade for the scoop adapted to fractionate said strips as received in the scoop, impeller means in the scoop for moving snow received therein outwardly thereof, means for actuating said cutter blade and impeller means, and means associated with said scoop for guiding snow impelled outwardly thereof in a preselected direction.

3. In a snow remover for roadways, a selfpropelled vehicle, a horizontally movable platform mounted upon the frame of said Vehicle, a snow scoop supported upon said platform to swing vertically thereto along one side of said vehicle into the desired depth of the snow for collecting the same from the road side during the forward movement of the vehicle, and a releasable connection between the scoop and the frame for normally holding the scoop in operative position and also for permitting the release of said scoop to be moved with the horizontal platform into an inoperative position to be transmitted along the roadway by said vehicle.

JOHN S. MCCALLUM. 

